Improvement in car-couplings



A; I'. PRESTON."

' Gar-couplings.

Patent ed S'ept. 8,1874.

No.l54,90 3.

FiggL U NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALMON J. PRESTON, OF EAST GUILFORD, NEW YORK.

IM PROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Speeification forming part of Letters Patent No. 154.903, dated September 8, 1874; application filed I v June 18, 1874.

Will be more fully described in the following specifications: i

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical and longitudinal section of a railtrack with my improvements attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a front or end View of the same. Fig. 3 is a dctachedview of .the coupling-jaws. Fig. 4 is a link-and-ball coupling-pin to connect my coupling with the ordinary car-coup-,

lin g.

A pair of clamping-jaws, A, are arranged so as to slide in a box, B. A strap of metal, H, is attached to these jaws, and passes behind the rubber cushion or spring D, so as to give an elastic draft against the stud I', projecting downward from the top of the box B. A coiled v spring, 0, pushes the jaws A forward, except' when the coupling-pin pashes these jaws back, and thus compresses the springin coupling the cars. A clampinglever, E, has two arms,

E', which bestride the jaws A and hold these jaws together upon the coupling-pin, as seen 4 in Figs. 2 and.3. By pushing one end of this lever free from the pin e and letting the end drop, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, the-jaws A are left to separate freely and allow the coupling-pin F to slip out, and thus uncouple the cars; but in coupling the cars it is not necessary to drop the lever E, as the jaws A are easily pushed back by the pressure of the couplin g pin, thus compressing the coiled spring O, as already explained. On the front of the car is fastened a mouth-piece, O, made flaring in order to direct the coupling pir to the central opening in case the pin strikes at one side; and the clampingjaws A, when closed, form a circular mouth to receive the ball of the coupling-pin, by the stroke of which the jaws are opened. Also, these' jaws form a true ball-and-socket joint with the couplin gpin F, as seen in Fig. 1. On the front of the car is a removable platform, P, held in place by a lug, S, inserted into a staple on the front of the car.

Fig. 4 shows a coupling-pin with a ball at one end and a link at the other. This pin will be required in connecting the ordinary carcoupling with one of mine.

Having ths described my improvement, I claim The combination of thej aws A, coiled spring C, and clamping-lever E, provided with the arms E', substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

ALMON JEROME 'PRESTON s Witnesses: G. MORRIS, SAML. RUGKEL, Jr. 

